Chapter II: Dragons and Bats
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
23rd DAY IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF MY OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
We marched for hours; finally about the middle of the night, we arrived at Castle Dracula.
The Castle was menacing from the outside, it was tall with many spires and towers. Skulls decorated the outside of the castle. The castle looked like it stood here for eons; no doubt the inhabitant inherited it from his family.
As always, my cowardly bunch henchmen were afraid to knock on the door, so I went up to the door and knocked.
It was answered by a short man with gray hair and green eyes, he wore an old straight jacket with the sleeves loosed. The name on the jacket identified him as "Renfield."
"Welcome to Castle Dracula BLOOD IS LIFE how can I help you? Renfield said in high-pitched voice.
"I am Lord Hordak, son of Horde Prime, and Ruthless Leader of the Evil Horde, I am here to speak with you master." I told him.
Renfield stared up into sky and informed that his master had just returned from an outing. He escorted us to a dining room where we to await his masters arrival.
The dining room was massive, about the size of Horde Prime's palace on Horde World; it was decorated with elaborate pictures and statues. A strange language was written on the walls of the room, words like lamia, cruentis, immortalis, and malefactor. If I could only know what those words meant, but I sensed the evil truth they told.
Renfield showed us to our seats and left for the kitchen, I was seated on a gold lined chair next to what as far I far as I can tell the 'master's' seat. Shadow Weaver sat to the left, with Grizzlor and Leech behind next to her. My Shadow Priests were to my right with Mantenna beside them.
The chairs were made of gold with silk seats, the table itself was pure gold, its quality even surpassed that of Etherian gold, the purest gold known to Horde science. Even the flatware was of gold.
A short time later, Renfield returned with gold goblets, I took a sip and smiled, it was blood. It had been millennia since I tasted the sweet ichor. My men gagged when they tasted the drink, the only ones besides me who drank the liquid were the Shadow Priests, and they only did so out of loyalty to me.
Soon a tall old man with a white moustache and dressed all in black entered the dining room. He sat down next to me; he identified himself as Count Dracula. He smiled when he noticed that the humor in my chalice was gone, "It is not often that I run into another Nosferatu," he said without any trace of an accent.
I smiled when he said that and stood up to introduce myself, "I am Lord Hordak, son of Horde Prime and Ruthless Leader of the Evil Horde," I said as I introduced him to my forces, He shook my hand and said "It is pleasure to meat you Lord Hordak, what can I do for you" he asked cordially.
I told him that he had been selected by Horde Prime to be recruited as a member of the Horde. "It is a great honor to serve Horde Prime" I told him.
He seemed interested and replied "Tell your master that I accept his offer" he said. He and Renfield appeared beside him.
"What is it master?" The insane man cackled eager to do his master's bidding.
"Bring another chalice of blood for Lord Hordak" he ordered, and faster than lightning Renfield left to do his master's will.
"Aren't you going to have some?" I inquired of him, "It is Horde tradition to have both parties partake of the spirit of their choice" I informed him.
"I already had something earlier, the blood of young lady who was camping out in the woods." He replied.
"What did she look like?" I asked worried it might be a rebel.
"She had blonde hair and blue eyes," he told me.
I knew who it was, Adora, the rebels had indeed followed us, no matter Adora was wounded. Victory was surly mine.
CAPTAIN BOW'S LOGBOOK
24th DAY IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
I awoke early morning and made to see if everyone was up, Glimmer was already awake and was making breakfast. I asked her if Adora was up yet, she replied that when she went in to check on her, she was still sleeping.
I decided to check on her to make sure she was okay. I walked into her tent only find that she was deathly pale, I checked her pulse "Thank light Hope, She's still alive" I said when I found she had a pulse. I told Glimmer to help me; she made a stretcher out of the sleeping bag and some branches.
We put Adora on it and carried into the nearest town. When we entered town we found a tavern just a few blocks away from the gates of the town.
When we entered the tavern, I informed the innkeeper that we were new here and my friend was ill.
He showed us to an upstairs room, we laid Adora on the bed; the innkeeper had brought some a clean washrag to put her head, and informed us to call him if we needed anything. We thanked him for his kindness and the innkeeper left the room.
About half an hour later there was a knock on the door Glimmer went to answer. On the other was an elderly man with gray hair and blue eyes; he introduced as Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a doctor.
I introduced the members of our party to him and no sooner had I done so that we went to work.
"Was ist geschehen?" he asked us.
"What did you say?" I replied unsure of what he said,
"Es tut mir leid, I'm sorry, I sometimes forget that my patients sometimes don't understand me when I speak German" he apologized "What I asked was what happened?" he repeated the question.
I begin to tell him about our campsite and how when I went to wake Adora up I found in her present state.
Van Helsing, continued to examine Adora, "Well her vitals seem fine except for a low blood pressure" he said. He then looked at her throat. When he opened her mouth his eyes grew large and he exclaimed "Mein Gott in Himmel auβer uns! (My God in Heaven save us!)
He then looked at her neck, and to his horror and disgust he found two tiny marks. He placed his head on his forehead and cried out "Mein Gott warum! Warum werde ich Sie haben aufgegeben uns haben" (My God Why! Why have you forsaken us!")
He turned to me and Glimmer, "Meine Freunde, your friend has attacked by Nosferatu, a vampire."
"But Professor," I asked, "Aren't vampires only a myth?" I was sure that they only were a story and nothing more.
"Mein Freund, vampires are real, and your friend has attacked by one" he told us.
"What can we do for her?" I asked him worried that Adora might die.
"Fräulein Glimmer, put this Garlic around this room and keep watch over her day and night." He said he and Glimmer began to hang the wreaths of Garlic across the room.
"Herr Bow, you and I must travel a road that is long and difficult, at times your own sanity will be lost, butI pray to God that you will keep it "he replied.
"What do we have to do?" I asked him. I looked poor Adora and how pale she looks, I vowed Light Hope and by all the Magi that whoever did this will pay for harming Adora. I looked at her one more time and I broke down and cried.
Van Helsing came up to me, "Mein Freund, Mein Freund, It is alright, the path is long and hard, we will tread it together, and we will save your friends life. He told me. I got up dried my eyes and asked what we needed to do.
He handed us a small cross with a figure of a man nailed to it, the figure wore what appeared to be crown made of thorns and hanging above the figure was scroll that read 'INRI' he called it a crucifix and told us to place around our necks, "They will protect from the enemy" he said, next he took out a wooden stake and a shovel, "An Aspen Wood Stake driven into the heart of the fiend by a Grave digger's shovel will destroy the vampire" he explained, Next he took out some more crucifixes and gave them to us "Put these in your pocket, in case you are cornered by him, take it out, the power of Gott will protect und repel the vampire," Lastly he took out a container of liquid and a book.
"Mein Gott, you promised your protection to all call upon you, protect us now as we face off with the spawn of the Devil, though we enter the gates of the enemy's kingdom, the kingdom you gave your Son is greater and will deliver us from our foe, I ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the King of Eternity, Amen" he prayed as he sprinkled us with the water.
"Fräulein Glimmer, you will stay here and watch over Adora, if the enemy returns throw this water him, it is holy water, the power of Gott will burn the corrupted vampire and he will be forced to flee." He said as he handed Glimmer the container of water.
"Herr Bow our journey is far more dangerous, we face off with most feared vampire of them all, the Devil-spawn known as Dracula," he said. "I will write what transpires for you, because when it is over you will no doubt question your own sanity. Jetzt, we must go to Castle Dracula and face off with the count," he said and with that we left.